Site censorship

[Don Juan DeMarcus]

Guess who's back--- back again--- opti's back--- got no friends..... guess who's back etc etc

[Ted]

Rather than ban people who spread rumours, thye problem might be better solved by the "club" giving a factual reply to deny those rumours. I have some sympathy with Staines Rebel. Not in not renewing a seaon ticket, but in sheer frustration at the lack of information we are given as fans. I had hoped that after the meeting at the Polish club last summer that it had all changed, but I should not have been so trusting.

 

I understand the reasons for not rocking the boat, but in the absence of proper information, rumours are inevitable. I can just about live with it in a good season like this year, but in a bad season it could be disasterous.

[Don Juan DeMarcus]

Well all i have heard info wise is its 99% that we will be at the Stag next year- but know idea what league and what players will be around its a bit frustrating...

[Tom]

BFR, may i suggest you come up with some forum rules which could be pinned to the top of the forum, that way they are there for everybody to see and understand.

 

With them in place, nobody can then complain about what actions are taken by the moderating team.

[Guest]

So you have had words of wisdom from MD then?!

[Don Juan DeMarcus]

Nope, I don't think anyone has officially opti- Fiona Mctaggart claims that she 'knows' he will be funding us--- but I imagine her optimism (And replying to emails) will go down substantually now shes been re-elected!

[Ted]

Quote:

Don Juan DeMarcus said:
Well all i have heard info wise is its 99% that we will be at the Stag next year- but know idea what league and what players will be around its a bit frustrating...

Its not the league or players that worries me. Its more a case of an official denial to rumours,clarity on who is the chairman and whether they have an ongoing role,how we will afford next season's rent,that sort of thing.

I'd accept a position of "We've been told, its OK ish but sensitive, so we've been asked not to say too much" from the Trust. But my reading of it all is that not even the trust know what is happening. Thats what I find frustrating, but having had my rant, I'll be getting my season ticket as per usual.

[brighton_rebel]

Good comments BFR.

Unfortunately when football clubs aren't run by the fans people like Gladwish get involved and have too much influence. That's why i always whittle on about the supporters trust, encouraging people to join it and find ways of raising cash to help the club going if the [****!!****] hits the fan.

[Guest]

I hope fingers aren't being pointed at the Trust for lack of information. The board of the Trust are supporters like the rest of us and have no better means than any of us to get hold of Byron Thorne or Martyn Deaner and to make them talk to us. Chris Sliski has stated that he's personally tried to contact Byron witout success. Nobody can make them talk if they don't want to. As for Stokes, he's a complete waste of space.

 

I do think Roy could say a little more on occasions, perhaps, but we don't know if he's bound by confidentiality and if he was, I wouldn't expect him to break that to talk to us. There'a always the chance he knows little more than we do anyway!

 

If people have constructive suggestions about ways forward they should talk directly to Chris Sliski and Mike Lighfoot. I've always said that nobody has a monopoly on good ideas so if people can see potential solutions they should say so.

 

The best we can do, in the absence of any information, is to raise as much money as we can for the Trust as that's going to be the single most valuable commodity to us in the event that it goes pear shaped.

[BFR]

Don't get me wrong, I just as angry and frustrated at being totally ignored by MD since he disappeared from the public eye last autumn. But this isn't a question about rocking the boat. By all means complain about the lack of fresh information filtering through from the club but please gives us a little bit of understanding that not everything under the sun will be kosher on here.

 

I'm not about to start listing what is and is not acceptable as there is no list that must be adhered to. Very rarely are things removed which is probably why this has caused a bit of a fuss, because people aren't used to the moderation. I deleted those posts about Veli from The Best a few months back because it was the right thing to do and nobody complained. Further back I removed some posts which questioned the sexuality of one our players and nobody complained. Now a thread is posted by a wind up merchant and people are getting on their high horse and complaining about a thread being removed, YET AT THE SAME TIME asking for greater moderation through the removal on anonymous postings.

 

Clearly there has to be a balance and for the most part I think that we do a good job of picking out what is unacceptable and what is not. Had I been a bit more on the ball I may have removed the eroneous thread before any of this kicked off, and for that I apologise. I do kind of feel as though the way this has developed I'm being thrust between a rock and a hard place because it would appear I cannot remedy the situation to appease both sides.

 

I am not aware of a more liberal minded official fans forum at our level of football. Too many clubs pull a tight leash requiring registration and strict moderation. Anybody who has seen any of the Sausage saga on the Braintree forum will know how anal that can be, and I believe Maidenhead have totally dropped their forum now because of an altercation betweeen Dennis Greene and some supporters. We don't have that. We have a forum where people are encouraged to speak their minds, where we have debates about players and team selection and so on. However, there have on occasions been things said which are unacceptable and the money thread, whether bogus or true overstepped the mark. Like it or not, there are some things which are club business and should remain club business. The wages of people at the club are something I would put under this category and I hope that all of you as sensible people will agree with that.

[brighton_rebel]

Spot on again BFR

[HorshamRebel]

Well said BFR.

Anyones wages, for what ever job they do should be kept personal between the employee and employer.

 

It doesn't make any difference if they are footballers, roadsweepers or councillors (apart from a public loss of a £500 deposit that is).

[Barry Scott]

Quote:

BFR said:
I am not aware of a more liberal minded official fans forum at our level of football. Too many clubs pull a tight leash requiring registration and strict moderation. Anybody who has seen any of the Sausage saga on the Braintree forum will know how anal that can be, and I believe Maidenhead have totally dropped their forum now because of an altercation betweeen Dennis Greene and some supporters. We don't have that. We have a forum where people are encouraged to speak their minds, where we have debates about players and team selection and so on. However, there have on occasions been things said which are unacceptable and the money thread, whether bogus or true overstepped the mark. Like it or not, there are some things which are club business and should remain club business. The wages of people at the club are something I would put under this category and I hope that all of you as sensible people will agree with that.

This is the only rule for the forum then. If anything oversteps this mark it's deleted end of story.

[Ted]

Quote:

Ian said:
I hope fingers aren't being pointed at the Trust for lack of information.

Certainly not. I've asked enough questions over the last few months to be reasonably certain that the Trust hasn't been kept informed, despite them asking, so no blame to them.

My point is that with a lack of information fromthe "club", rumours are inevitable. The best way of dealing with them would be a statement from the club.

I don't disagree with the deletion of the posts, but am trying to see beyond it.Now may not be the right time for this discussion, but if regulars like Staines Rebel are getting fed up, then their views should not be ignored.

[Guest]

I of course can see all the arguments...and frustration and to an extent this can work 2 ways, the club needs sometimes to keep things in house - as things can be delicate and complicated and certain things can not be said ! we have to understand this sometimes.

 

but a lack of information does not help either...i know...to those who think we get told everything are wrong too ! at times is actually worse for the members of the trust because we have to protect the club firstly and then try to give a fair and acreate picture of the real happenings at our club....a fine tightrope walk sometimes....

 

WE TRY NOT TO HANG OUR DIRTY LAUNDRY IN PUBLIC !

 

The club is more important than indviduals...and must remain so....

 

Difficult and frustrating...is not half of it at times.....

 

but thats why we are Slough Town Supporters..nothing is ever easy in our case.

 

keep the faith.....

 

and I am so proud of our Supporters..you deserve better and one day our boat will come back in !!!

 

chris sliski

 

STST

 

up the rebels....

 

 

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[Burnham Lad]

I think most reasonable fans will recognise that there have to be some limits on what can be expressed here, and that BFR and the other moderators exercise their role in a very even-handed way, trying to facilitate the discussion rather than strangle it.

 

We must recognise however, that there is a very difficult line for them to follow between legitimate criticism of the Club Management, (and I refer here to the top management) and what the top management would like to read.

 

Sadly, the top management have not realised that absence of information breeds rumour, and rumour breeds anger. It would be far better if they laid out what plans they have, even describing the difficulties and they would find hundreds of fans willing to do their best to help. At present, the top management have no idea of the skills, abilities, know-how and the ability to open some doors which may exist amongst the fans because they are too busy hugging their secrets to be prepared to find out. It is a myth that knowledge is power when you need the support of your customers especially when the customers can scare Slough Council with votes.

 

There are loads of things which can be done to increase the funding of Slough Town Football club at the commercial level, but I see little sign of the "powers that be" being prepared to go out and do them, even when they have offers of help.

 

There are some serious criticisms which can be made of the club's commercial nous and inactivity, and I am referring to the things which can be done as a direct result of the team's performance on the field in terms of sponsorship, advertising and events. There will still be a need for big investors such as Mr Deaner to pump in cash, the amounts required to run a club these days are beyond the individual means of most of us and the rich fan will always have a part to play, unless the club has a huge fan base like Wimbledon. But the commercial monies can make the difference between success and failure.

 

The Trust is doing its best but it does not own the club neither can it launch commercial activities on its behalf, without authority to do so.

 

Money will continue to be a big issue for the club and I still have seen no evidence, rather than a few bits of wishful thinking that the rent will be paid for Stag Meadow for 2005/6. Maybe it will, maybe it won't, but wouldn't it be nice to have a Top Management with enough respect for the fans to say NOW if it is there, and "no need to worry folks", or "We have a problem, folks, what can you do to help?"

 

July 31st is too late! Telling the fans to mind their own business is not helpful either - because like Staines Rebel, they just might.

 

 

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